A lift nacelle may comprise an airflow generator; a sidewall system coupled to the airflow generator and spanning in a first direction, wherein the sidewall system defines a nacelle interior space, wherein the airflow generator defines one of a forward boundary or an aft boundary of the nacelle interior space; and a lift body disposed in the nacelle interior space and spanning substantially perpendicular to the first direction and substantially perpendicular to an upward lift direction. The airflow generator may be configured to accelerate airflow in an aft direction into the nacelle interior space through the forward boundary of the nacelle interior space. The airflow may contact and/or interact with the lift body creating lift in response.

An aircraft, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle or single-seat aircraft, including a main body and a pair of wing sections, each wing section including a front wing and a rear wing, wherein the front wing and the rear wing each include a first end that is connected to the main body, and a second end, wherein the second end of the front wing is connected to the second end of the rear wing. The main body is located between the pair of wing sections, and each wing section includes a propulsion unit located between the front wing and the rear wing of the wing section. Each propulsion unit may include a first rotor and a second rotor, which may be pivotable with respect to the rest of the aircraft.

The present invention relates to an aircraft, comprising a fuselage, at least one pair of wings and a battery system for providing power to electrical systems of the aircraft, wherein the battery system comprises at least one battery pack, each battery pack comprises a number of individual battery modules, which are directly or indirectly coupled to one another, and the at least one battery pack is disposed between an inner structural wall defining an interior space of the fuselage and an outer fairing wall of the fuselage. The fuselage is provided with a rack mounting mechanism comprising a number of mounting brackets, each for exchangeably mounting one of the battery modules to the aircraft, and each of the battery packs is a virtual battery pack, which is obtained by electrically connecting a predetermined number of the battery modules.

A lightweight lift system for VTOL/VSTOL operation running in parallel with an existing turbine. This system distributes LP power by switching compressor flow and fuel proportionally over to the lift turbine module. As forward thrust is demanded, some of the power is transitioned back to the flight LP turbine, which can drive a variable propeller, fan or can supply jet thrust. As flight motion occurs, the power to the lift fan can be reduced to zero and lift closed off.

A rotor system includes a rotor assembly and a duct system. The rotor assembly includes rotor blades extending from a mast axis and configured to rotate about the mast axis. The duct assembly includes a moveable duct portion and a stationary duct portion. In a first duct configuration, the moveable duct portion surrounds a first portion of the rotor assembly, the stationary duct portion surrounds a second portion of the rotor assembly, and the moveable duct portion and the stationary duct portion enclose the rotor assembly. In a second duct configuration, the stationary duct portion surrounds the second portion of the rotor assembly, and the moveable duct portion is moved away from the first portion of the rotor assembly, such that the rotor assembly is not enclosed.

A fan-in-wing aerial vehicle according to an embodiment may comprise: a fuselage; main wings expending from both sides of the fuselage in the span direction; rotors rotatably mounted inside the main wings, respectively; and opening/closing portions installed on the main wings such that the same can be opened/closed and thereby expose the rotors to the outside or conceal the rotors from the outside, respectively.

A selectively deployable heated propulsor system which may be integrated into vehicles, airplanes, or any other machinery configured for flight. The system includes a structural feature that includes a mounted propulsor including a rotor and a motor mechanically coupled to the rotor allowing the rotor to rotate when in an activated mode. The mounted propulsor includes a chamber configured to support a first configuration where the propulsor and the rotor are stowed and heated in an enclosed environment, and a second configuration where the rotor is deployed.

A request for transport services that identifies a rider, an origin, and a destination is received from a client device. Eligibility of the request to be serviced by a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is determined based on the origin and the destination. A transportation system determines a first and a second hub for a leg of the transport request serviced by the VTOL aircraft and calculates a set of candidate routes from the first hub to the second hub. A provisioned route is selected from among the set of candidate routes based on network and environmental parameters and objectives including pre-determined acceptable noise levels, weather, and the presence and planned routes of other VTOL aircrafts along each of the candidate routes.

An auxiliary propulsion apparatus of an air vehicle may include an engine mounted in a fuselage of the air vehicle, a generator configured to be driven using power from the engine, a compressor configured to be driven by the engine or the generator, a battery configured to store electricity generated by the generator, an electricity distributor connected to the generator, the battery and the main propulsion apparatus and configured to distribute electricity generated by the generator to the battery and to a main propulsion apparatus, and at least one nozzle device configured to jet high-pressure gas, supplied from the compressor, to an outside of the fuselage.

In an aspect a system for loading and securing a payload in an electrical vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft may comprise a fuselage further comprising structural elements configured to provide physical support for the aircraft fuselage. An eVTOL aircraft may also comprise a swing nose, where a portion of the nose of the aircraft may swing on a hinge in a radial direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. The hinge may be coupled to at least a portion of the fuselage and at least a portion of the nose of the aircraft. A latching mechanism may be configured to secure a payload in an aircraft fuselage. A conveyor mechanism may be configured to transport a payload into the fuselage from the opening of the aircraft.